From Somewhere Else, Buddy, Pastor to the Elders and Disciples in Kailua,

To Paul, not the Saint but the Other One…

Dear Paul—

Grace to you and peace from God our Creator. Dittos from Lord Jesus who, when he was passing through Jericho, saw a friend out on a limb and understood what was needed.

First, thank you for agreeing to read my posting this morning. Not everyone is online---yet. Next, let me state unequivocally that I have entrusted this letter to you because you are an elder and because you have a deep resonate voice.

Pay no attention to those scurrilous rumors that this note about a disciple who was height challenged comes to you because you’re not the tallest tree in the arboretum. It’s just not true. Dennis and Scott, for crying out loud, are no taller than you.

When the saints gather, read this aloud to them. When you’re done, post it on the web. You can do that. After all, you’re the Web Master. And finally, if they have any questions, answer them yourself. I will be back soon, however.

God’s message to us lies in the Zacchaeus story. May God grant me clarity of expression and, to those who hear these words, may God grant insight in due course.

Who was our friend before he met Jesus, anyway? He was Hebrew, a Jew. His name, Zacchaeus, means "the righteous one." He lived in King Herod’s winter capital: Jericho, a balmy upscale town rich in balsa groves and palms. And as we knew from the song, there was also at least one sycamore tree next to the road into town.

Of all the tax collectors, he was perhaps the most famous. And he had to be rich. It came with the job. His villa would have been one of the finest in town. On this occasion, Jesus went first class. This much Saint Luke tells us. Oh yes, and Zacchaeus was short in stature. "A wee little man was he," to be exact.

There’s more. Some things aren’t stated explicitly if the listeners already know them. They are just understood. That’s the case here. For one thing, the morality of a rich man in first century Palestine was suspect. Goods were limited and in fixed supply. The only way to become wealthy was to accumulate stuff that, theoretically at least, should have been spread around, that should have belonged to others.

First century Palestinian tax collection was a pyramid extortion scheme in which a few opportunists benefited. They took from their neighbors, by force if necessary, and gave to the occupation forces. In a parody of the Robin Hood myth, these folks took from the poor and gave to the rich. They kept a percentage of the "take" and passed the rest on to Zacchaeus. As Chief Tax Collector, he raked off his cut and sent what was left on to the Romans.

As a lackey of the Roman domination system, he was a traitor to his own people as well as a thief. Zacchaeus was nuvo riche and not very nice, if you follow my meaning. With good reason he was counted among the sinners. He was a slime ball. Get the picture?

We can infer from the story that our friend was an agile little rascal. He got up in that sycamore tree didn’t he? We can guess that he was informed. He knew that Jesus’ entourage was coming through. And apparently he was curious. Enough, at least, to want at least to see this Jesus whose reputation had preceded him.

So what was Zacchaeus thinking when he climbed up in that tree? Luke says only that he wanted to see Jesus. I suspect Luke intends us to see Shorty in contrast with the man whom Jesus had encountered just before coming into Jericho. Luke says, "As Jesus approached Jericho," there was a blind beggar sitting beside the road. When he heard a crowd going by, he asked wassup."

"Jesus of Nazareth is coming through," they told him. He shouted "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!" To Jesus’ question "What do you want?" he replied "Let me see again." Immediately he regained his sight, glorified God, and followed Jesus into town. He would have been among those who stopped under the tree.

There’s irony in contrast to the blind beggar. Shorty went out on a limb to get an eyeful of Jesus. Perhaps this was the best the Chief Tax Collector could do. Pathetic as it might have been, it was his way of expressing both his blindness and his hunger (however vaguely understood) to see again.

So what was Jesus thinking when his eye rested upon Z-man up a tree beside the road? More to the point, what got into Jesus when he said, "Zacchaeus, come on down. I’ll be hanging with you today." I think Jesus understood the little man’s heart and his need, and even his desire, to see again. Jesus got it. And that was good news for Zacchaeus.

But it obviously shocked a lot of people who didn’t get it. The blind beggar outside of town fit the profile. He was someone to whom Jesus would probably respond. After all, Jesus came to bring good news to the poor and sight to the blind.

But it was something of a surprise, a shock even, that Jesus would have had even the time of day for the Jericho Chief Thief and Traitor. But more than an exchange of pleasantries, Jesus said to Zacchaeus, "Let’s go home. Your home." This must have dumbfounded not only the Jericho worthies but Jesus’ disciples as well.

What happened at Zacchaeus’ place? We only know one thing. At some point, Shorty stood up and said, "Look, half of my possessions, Lord, I will give to the poor; and if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I will pay back four times as much."

Gasp. I mean, "Gasp" with a capital "G." What happened here? There’s no indication that our friend was doing something in order to be saved. It seems rather the case that his decision to dispossess himself of half his stuff right off the top was in response to having experienced God’s unconditional love through Jesus.

Only other explanation I can suggest is that something was about to break. I don’t mean the tree limb either. I mean something was about to break in Zacchaeus. He needed to become human again or die.

Few, if any of us, identify with the blind beggar outside of Jericho. For those who do, who feel powerless and directionless, we can say, "Take hope. Jesus is calling you. Jesus is asking you directly, ‘What can I do for you?’"

Few, if any of us, identify with Chief Tax Collector Zacchaeus either. At least not in the sense of being filthy rich, of being thieves and traitors. But we may be unsure of and we may be unable to express our hearts desires and deep yearnings. We may be out on a limb. Ho there, anybody feel out on a limb this morning? Anybody feel you’ve given up too much humanity in exchange for something or other? Anybody feel up a tree and not sure what you wanted or hoped to see this morning? Anybody named "Shorty" here?

Jesus calls out in unconditional love, "Meet me at the Table." There’s no guarantee, but it could happen just like that. Jesus wants to meet you at the table and something is about to break. And that could be very good news.

For the Son of Man came to seek out and to save the lost," says Luke.

Estelle and I send our love. Greet one another with a holy kiss. We’re home soon.

Come Lord Jesus be our guest.

Letter from The Rev. Buddy Summers,

Read by Elder Paul Belanger at Christ Church Uniting Disciples and Presbyterians

November 4, 2001